It’s Homecoming time once again! Join us for the extravaganza, and be sure to show off your Retriever Fever at these great events:
We also hope you will participate in Spirit Monday on 10/6. Wear your best black and gold, take a selfie, and post to our Facebook page for a chance to win great prizes.
Robert Deluty, associate dean of the Graduate School, has published a new volume of poetry, “Human Recordings.” In his review, Ronald Pies writes: “The title of Robert Deluty’s wonderful new collection was inspired by the late rock band musician, Layne Staley, who struggled with depression and drug addiction throughout his adult life. But, like Staley’s music, Deluty’s moving poems are highly-condensed recordings of ‘being human,’ in all its tragic and comic tonalities. From the ‘taxidermist’s son/ wooing the depressed daughter/ of the mortician’ to the ‘Arby’s manager/ fuming that his sons opened/ a vegan bistro,’ Deluty regales us with the sweet, sad music of life, in tonalities that Layne Staley would have appreciated. This is a collection to be savored.”
“Human Recordings,” as well as all of Deluty’s other books, may be purchased at the UMBC Bookstore.
UMBC is always full of hard-working people who aspire to do great things, and the class of 2014 is no exception. Today, we wanted to share with you what some of our recent graduates are planning to do with their Retriever education.
Tabitha Haverkamp, information
systems, quickly made her mark at
UMBC by 
co-founding UMBC’s Industry Certification Training Group and and serving on the executive board of the Information Systems Council of Majors. She also completed undergraduate research in geographic information systems, was a member of the Center for Women in Technology (CWIT), and won the 2014 Student Leadership Award from the Department of Information Systems. Haverkamp now plans to work with the Department of Defense.
After only being enrolled for a year in the Language, Literacy, and Culture program, Heather Linville, Ph.D. language, literacy, and culture, was offered a faculty position at American University. She has taught English teachers in Indonesia, Mexico, and Panama through working abroad. In addition to her Ph.D., Linville has also earned a master’s degree in instructional systems design at UMBC. She was chosen as an English Language Specialist for the U.S. State Department plans to continue her work there while working towards a tenure-track faculty position.
A Meyerhoff Scholar, Janice Antoine Lumpkin Scholar, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Scholar, and a MARC U*Star Scholar, Dalton Hughes, chemical engineering, has earned many Undergraduate Research Awards. Hughes has also worked in leadership in UMBC’s Engineers Without Borders to attempt to create sources of clean water for a community in Isongo, Kenya. He also spoke about his experiences at UMBC at the U.S. News Stem Solutions conference, and now plans to earn his M.D./Ph.D. at Duke University.
UMBC is at the center of Maryland’s growing efforts to harness the energy of the wind.
Ocean City is the Maryland destination most associated with the summer. But some- day the resort may also be known for a nearby wind farm that could help the state put a dent in its greenhouse gas emissions and the rising costs of generating power.
Both this summer and last summer, UMBC scientists, using a remote sensing technology called LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), have been helping the state of Maryland in wind resource assessment efforts to develop the state’s wind energy farms in the Atlantic Ocean near Ocean City.
The project is part of a plan envisioned by Maryland’s legislature in a new law – the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act – passed in the 2013 legislative session and signed by Governor Martin O’Malley. The legislation calls for the establishment of a facility at least 10 nautical miles off the state’s coastline that would eventually produce as much as 500 megawatts of power for the state.
Over the next few weeks we’ll be introducing you to this year’s Alumni Award winners. The UMBC Alumni Association proudly honors distinguished alumni and faculty for their accomplishments and dedication to UMBC. Today we’re talking with Dr. Anne Spence, Department of Mechanical Engineering, about her career working as a professor at UMBC.
Name: Dr. Anne Spence
Job Title: Professor of the Practice, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Award Category: Outstanding Faculty
Q: Why did you choose to teach at UMBC?
I chose to teach at UMBC because of its diverse student body, the strength of the undergraduate engineering programs, and the freedom to pursue my interests in engineering education.
Q: Please tell us a little about the trajectory of your career and what you are working on now.
I have had the privilege of engaging in many activities related to engineering education. Our current work to prepare teachers to teach engineering in elementary, middle, and high school will open the doors of engineering to a new generation of students. We are also developing new mentoring programs that will ensure that all students entering mechanical engineering will benefit from the types of activities formerly reserved for members of our scholar programs.
Q: What do you most enjoy about working with UMBC students?
I love the fact that UMBC students come from a variety of backgrounds. They bring a diversity of experiences that make the student body stronger. It is also great to see students who have participated in Project Lead the Way and FIRST LEGO League coming to UMBC to pursue their dreams.
Q: What is your favorite memory of your time at UMBC?
My favorite memories are of the freshman engineering design competitions. I love watching students flex their engineering muscles through the design of robots, submarines, catapults, solar rice cookers, and hot air balloons while competing and cooperating with their colleagues.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering and education?
When I was an undergraduate, I was the only female student in my class and never had a female instructor except in the arts, humanities and social sciences. A few women started with me as freshmen but did not continue in the major. I thought that if they had seen someone at the front of the room that looked more like them, they might have persisted. I felt like maybe I could be that role model for both female and male students alike. I am so happy that I made that choice!
Here at UMBC, we take pride in what our alums accomplish after graduation. Take a moment to see which Retrievers have been on the move and making news!
Working at Lockheed Martin and having a passion for STEM education, Stephanie C. Hill ’86, computer science and economics, describes her path with STEM education as unexpected. After taking a programming class she became fascinated with the course and changed her career plans accordingly. Hill now works at Lockheed Martin, providing IT solutions to federal services such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and more. Due to her hard work and desire to spread STEM education, Hill has received various awards to recognize her excellence. She hopes her story will encourage people to pursue a STEM education. Read the full article.
Drew Westervelt ’09, economics, is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Hex Performance, a new company focused on cleaning products for athletic gear. Now, stores like Wegman’s and Whole Foods are stocking their shelves with these products uniquely designed for the care and cleaning of workout gear made from synthetic materials. Westervelt is taking on a rather unusual task as COO of a company and a professional athlete, but he is proving his ability to be successful in both. Read more.
Erick Sahler ’89, graphic design and art history, created a new silkscreen print as a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, a landmark special to Delaware residents. This limited-edition art piece debuted at the Art Sale held in Bethany Beach on August 30 and 31, an annual Labor Day weekend event. Read the full article.
Christine DeGuzman ‘02, English, was recently named principal of Meade Middle School. She has put a lot of time and effort into developing stronger support for children with emotional and behavioral problems through programs like Restorative Practices and Alt One. DeGuzman enjoys her time working at the middle school, and hopes to give the students the opportunity to continue in higher education and future careers. Read more.
Here at UMBC, we take pride in what our alums accomplish after graduation. Take a moment to see which Retrievers have been on the move and making news!
Alumnus Jaimes Mayhew ‘10, imaging and digital arts, Icelandic Fulbright Scholar and IMDA MFA, will participate in an imaging and digital arts event along with Neja Tomšič, taking place on Thursday, November 6, from noon to 1 p.m. In 2008, Tomšič founded the Museum of Transitory Art in Solvenia. She deals with creating open platform media, public art projects, along with publications and interviews with international artists. Her goal is to bring more engagement with this genre of art forms to the U.S. Read more.
With almost 20 years of human resources experience in the senior living and healthcare industry, Shelli Giardino ’94, political science, has recently been recognized as the new Director of Human Resources at Devonshire at PGA National. She began working for Erickson Living in September 2003 as a senior human resources manager at Charlestown in Catonsville, Md. Over the years she worked her way up to becoming Director of Human Resources. At Devonshire she will be focused on improving the community’s employee environment. Read the full article.
Recently deciding to depart as executive director of Free State Legal, Aaron Merki ’05, political science, has taken on the role to work with the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. As a co-founder of Free State Legal, Merki has been involved with numerous accomplishments relating to legal services of low-income Baltimore residents who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. At the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Merki will focus on improving living for the city’s aging population. Read more.
In an interview with the U.K.’s Mirror, Matthew VanDyke ’02, political science, speaks about the tragic story of his friend, journalist James Foley. Foley went missing near Aleppo, Syria, in November 2012 where he was pursuing his passion as a conflicts journalist, and was tragically killed after being held captive. VanDyke pays tribute to his friend, while also discussing the danger and risks that come along with being a journalist in a country such as Syria or Iraq, even when taking all possible precautions. Read VanDyke’s full story.
For three days beginning September 6 the White House Educational Game Jam invited a select set of professional game developers and academics to create innovative educational game prototypes over single weekend, with the resulting games presented at the White House Executive Office Building.
There were 23 teams and about 100 participants. The team sizes ranged from 1 to 9, with most around 4-5. It was a mix of major companies and schools. Examples of large companies were: Ubisoft, Sony and Rovio. Small companies were: BrainPop, GlassLab and RocketMind. Academic teams included the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Melon University, American University, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, the Smithsonian and UMBC.
“Our game came out quite well, and we got a bunch of great comments,” says Marc Olano, faculty advisor and associate professor of computer science and engineering.
The students developed the game Bob Blob Bomb Lob. It is a 3D game to teach step-by-step algorithmic thinking and debugging while you save a hapless blob from the bomb he has ingested. You can see a video of the game below.
[youtube=http://youtu.be/kItXl6e1TsI]
One of the things that makes UMBC great is how wonderful our alumni, students, faculty, and staff are. Because of these amazing people, UMBC often finds itself “in the news,” so each week, we’ll be sharing with you a round-up of the most newsworthy achievements from our community.
Public Policy Professor and Chair Donald Norris spoke to The Baltimore Sun and WJZ 13 about risk-taking in the gubernatorial campaign and Ben Caron’s possible bid for the presidency.
In a Baltimore Sun article about how both nominees for governor have avoided risky campaign strategies, Norris commented on Republican nominee Larry Hogan’s vague campaign promises. “As soon as he gives specifics, that opens him to attack from his opponent,” Norris said.
Norris also spoke to WJZ 13 about former Johns Hopkins head of neurosurgery Ben Carson’s possible bid for the presidency, mentioning that Carson might be too far to the right to become the Republican nominee. Norris called Carson “a tremendous human being” but did not have high hopes for his presidential bid, saying, “He’ll be a very, very long shot. Even experienced politicians making the kind of comments he makes will be out of the race very, very quickly.”
Click here to read “As presumed gubernatorial front-runner, Brown takes few risks on the campaign trail” in The Baltimore Sun and here to watch “Ben Carson Considering A Run For 2016 Presidential Election” on WJZ 13.
Over the next few weeks we’ll be introducing you to this year’s Alumni Award winners. The UMBC Alumni Association proudly honors distinguished alumni and faculty for their accomplishments and dedication to UMBC. Today we’re talking with Gib Mason ‘95, economics, about his career working as the Chief Operating Officer and Director of the Center for Leadership and Innovation by improving the UMBC Training Centers.
Name: Gib Mason ’95, economics
Job Title: Chief Operating Officer & Director of the Center for Leadership and Innovation, UMBC Training Centers
Award Category: Distinguished Service
Q: Why did you choose to attend UMBC, and how do you continue to be involved with the university?
It had been a decade since I had left my first foray into the University setting, and I was looking for a place to finish my education. I was interested in learning more about economics in order to better support my business. My decision to attend UMBC started as a skill building opportunity, but ultimately led to a five-year relationship that drove me to sit for the CPA exam as a result. My current involvement with UMBC is multi-faceted. I serve as a board member for the Alex. Brown Entrepreneurship Center, where I partnered with faculty fellows to develop the Minor for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. I presently teach and develop curriculum for both the FYS and ENTR program, and act as a faculty advisor within the INDS program. I have also facilitated strategic planning for multiple departments within UMBC. In addition, I provide leadership development training for all members of the UMBC community.
Q: Is there a particular class or professor at UMBC who really inspired you?
Elizabeth Gerkin taught my very first class (Accounting 101) and in turn, inspired me to extend my stay at UMBC. Brad Humphreys was another inspiration for me. He was an economics professor who provided me with a much broader perspective of the influence and impact of finance on communities. My experience at UMBC is what inspired me to want to teach and complete a Master’s degree.
Q: Please tell us a little about the trajectory of your career and what you are working on now.
There are three concepts that encapsulate my career trajectory: entrepreneurship, opportunity, and passion. Entrepreneurial pursuits, belief in the opportunities in organizations for growth and change and development, and underlying under that is a rabid passion for what I get the opportunity to do. Currently, I’m working on putting UMBC’s Training Centers in a position to live into its fullest potential. Really, that’s about developing the people of our organization, which will allow us to increase our reach and the reputation of the University. Within my work for our Center for Leadership and Innovation, I also have the opportunity to enable other organizations to live into their fullest potential.
Q: What has been the greatest success in your career? The greatest challenge?
The greatest success of my career was the rolling up of the B4students foundation into Big Brothers and Sisters. The greatest challenge has been balancing the dichotomy of being both a CPA and an MSOD. My career has a lot of breadth, with significant depth in two very different areas. It’s a healthy challenge – I fight with myself all the time.
Q: What are your proudest personal achievements?
My service to youth over a 30 year period, including 25 years of coaching little league baseball and basketball, 17 years of board service for Big Brothers and Big Sisters, the development of the B4students foundation, and the last 8 years focused on the development of undergraduates at UMBC.
The new Performing Arts and Humanities
Building, or PAHB, aptly named for the 
departments it houses, opens this fall to the UMBC campus and community. The construction was completed in two phases: the first section was home to the Department of English, the Dresher Center for Humanities, the Department of Theatre, the Linehan Artist Scholars Program, and the Humanities Scholars Program, and the second included the Department of Dance, Music, Philosophy, and Ancient Studies. However, the focus of the building now rests on the many theatres, performance halls, and sound studios.
There are five main performance halls in the PAHB: the Proscenium Theatre, the Black Box theatre (used mainly for more experimental performances), the Dance Cube, the Music Box, and the Concert Hall. The previous theatre, located in the Fine Arts building, only reached 16 feet in height; the new Proscenium Theatre now stands at 20 feet tall, and can seat up to 275 spectators. In three of the four halls, the seating can be moved to create a more open performance or a more intimate setting, and with state of the art lighting systems, the light can be adjusted accordingly.
The Concert Hall, the largest space in the building, was designed for music performances and has special air duct systems designed to eliminate all noise. The setting of the hall can also be changed from a large venue to a class-sized setting, simply by turning the performers around and opening a hidden section of seating. Every aspect of this building was designed to create performance friendly spaces, while also offering a new and distinctive campus landmark.
As for those who work behind-the-scenes, there are brand-new costume design facilities, catwalks and lighting structures, music technology rooms, and conference rooms created to enhance learning and provide hands-on experience. Students in the music fields can now enjoy a new recording studio, as well as many sound-proofed walls throughout the building.
With the opening of the PAHB quickly approaching and the first performance scheduled for mid-October, alumni are encouraged to show their support of the performing arts by naming a seat in either the Proscenium Theatre or the Concert Hall. All gifts will directly benefit the arts and humanities at UMBC now and for future generations.